Manx Care is removing the requirement for visitors to its health and care settings to wear a facemask, with immediate effect. Restrictions will also be lifted for its employees too.
The change is in line with UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guideline, with the potential for facemasks to be re-introduced in the future should Covid-19 numbers rise again within the community across the winter period.
The wearing of facemasks may still be necessary in some clinical environments, with clear signage in place if required. Some patients, service users, visitors and colleagues may also prefer to continue to wear facemasks as a precautionary measure, and the organisation fully supports their personal choice to do so. Masks will continue to be made available in all health and social care settings operated by Manx Care, along with hand sanitiser, and members of the public are being encouraged to maintain their hand hygiene measures as a way of reducing the spread of infections and viruses.
Manx Care’s Executive Director of Nursing and Governance, Paul Moore, commented:
“Our decision to remove the need for wearing facemasks in our health and care settings has been taken in line with the latest UKHSA guidance, and is in line with the approach in place at NHS Trusts across the UK. Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do, and so if some members of the public wish to continue wearing facemasks in our settings, we absolutely respect their decision to do so. We will continue to monitor community transmission rates closely, and take any future steps we need to in order to protect our colleagues, members of the public and the delivery of our services should we need to.”
